The Dismantling of “El Caballito”
The Attorney General’s Office (FGR) has successfully dismantled a criminal organization known as “El Caballito”, which was primarily engaged in money laundering and the issuance of fake tax receipts across Mexico.
A Coordinated Operation
In a meticulously coordinated effort involving the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF), and the Tax Administration Service (SAT), authorities deployed 440 personnel across nine states, executing eight arrest warrants.
Key arrests
Among those apprehended were two alleged leaders of the operation, identified as Michael “N” and Salvador “N”. Others arrested included:
- Salvador “N”
- Laura Belén “N”
- Luis “N”
- Manuel “N”
- Elda “N”
- Montserrat “N”
- Lilia “N”
Seizures and Financial Recovery
During the operation, authorities confiscated:
- 11 homes
- 14 vehicles
- 2 motorcycles
- Foreign currency totaling:
- 17,945 dollars
- 1,090,550 pesos
- 106,000 yen
- 1,700 pounds sterling
- 370 soles
- 1,570 euros
- 1,050 Danish crowns
Modus Operandi
The investigations revealed that the “El Caballito” organization operated through front companies, providing legitimate businesses with invoices for non-existent operations. These fake receipts allowed the laundering of money and evasion of taxes, thereby inflicting significant damage on public finances.
Tax Evasion Techniques
This circuit purportedly helped obscure the origins of illicitly obtained funds while artificially reducing tax liabilities—a move detrimental to overall public finances. The front companies primarily had tax domiciles in states such as Jalisco, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Sonora, and Quintana Roo.
Investigation and Collaboration
The successful identification of the network resulted from extensive surveillance and intelligence-gathering efforts by Mexican state forces. The Special Prosecutor’s Office for Investigation of Tax Crimes and the Criminal Investigation Agency played crucial roles in coordinating the logistics of the operation.
Operation Logistics
The operation involved 30 properties spread across nine states, including Jalisco, Guanajuato, Colima, Durango, Quintana Roo, Sonora, Sinaloa, Aguascalientes, and Coahuila. The personnel included federal public prosecutors, criminology experts, and forensic accountants, ensuring a comprehensive approach.
Ulises Lara, a spokesperson for the FGR, announced the operation in an official statement released on May 29, emphasizing the ongoing commitment to combat financial crimes.
Information in development…